Rumor Hollywood insiders say there's growing tension at Disney as CEO Bob Chapek chafes at Bob Iger's 'long goodbye'

[skypilot2922]

Back in the day Disneyland was seen as fun for everyone. Remember all those movies showing world leaders the parks, everyone from Kings and Emperors to norma people wanted to visit Disneyland. Vacation Kingdom era WDW was similar- I remember all the adverts with people eating elegant meals at the contemporary, horse riding or golfing and lots of culture based stuff for EPCOT. Famous people like Ray Bradbury were famous Disney fans and wrote intelligent articles about the resorts

Somewhere along the line that got dummed down to toddlers on dumbo. Cynical people are in the majority now and Disney is seen as dorky or kiddie fun not just fun entertainment for all. I think it says more about them than it does about the rest of us.

When I used to visit WDW we always went horseback riding and everything you describe was available up to 2010 or so. The replacement of the steakhouse with the ‘contempo cafe’ in 2008 to me marks the beginning of the WalMart’ing of WDW (borrowing from @WDW1974) the Grand Concourse Steakhouse was a fantastic place to eat and watch the monorail.

Disney’s biggest problem was the strategic planning group who focused way too much on process and too little on product which was an over the top customer experience.

Disney’s management has ‘the smartest guys in the room’ mentality and when you think that lets just say you ain’t. And you are right it speaks little to us but volumes about the Disney management team

 

[SpoiledBlueMilk]

• Bad Batch in progress - some speculation of another animated series spun off of it
• Rangers of the new Republic
• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Lando
• A Droid Story

Theatrically, aside from Rogue Squadron, projects directed by:

• Taika Waititi
• Keven Feige
• Rian Johnson

I think Rangers was the Gina project. They canceled that after she was canned.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

• Bad Batch in progress - some speculation of another animated series spun off of it
• Rangers of the new Republic
• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Lando
• A Droid Story

Theatrically, aside from Rogue Squadron, projects directed by:

• Taika Waititi
• Keven Feige
• Rian Johnson

…ok…I snarfed my coffee…thanks for this

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The problem wasn’t investing in technology but the reasoning. Disney had held off on integrating and updating their systems. Instead of seeing that as a cost of business that got wrapped up in the ridiculous idea that they could get guest spending to increase by more than 10% just because people were using a MagicBand, that they could avoid having to spend money on capacity and make a tidy side profit selling customer data. They spent billions on a mess of a system that still doesn’t really work well. That same money could have gone a lot further if it was just poured into attractions and the direct guest experience. Now they have a system that hasn’t lived up to its promises and they’re still having to spend billions.

One of your best ever

A money pit, if you ask me. Just fix the damned capacity issues already.

Right now they simply cannot. There’s too much bloat and hesitancy. They can’t build anything for a reasonable cost, much less the sort of small to medium scale additions that will add capacity without inducing demand.

Rides don’t equal revenue…people are shocked by that…but it’s true. They only did when it increased the volume coming in a tangible way, length of stay, and high profit out of pocket expenditures…which they do not anymore.
So when you have to produce profit to Wall Street…necessary increases in attractions will be denied without cover

So how much has guest spending increased since NextGen started?

Due to egregious price increases…not magic bands

 

[Living the Life]

Wouldn't it be great if they both disappeared and they hired someone who came up through the park ranks and actually loves the parks and wants to see the parks at their best and not just a cash cow.

AMEN!

 

[skypilot2922]

As I've said for a while the best option would be for OLC to buy the US parks as they KNOW how to run a Disney park.

 

[Living the Life]

Why is Iger concerned about China anyway? NOW, that makes you go hmmmmmm.......

 

[tl77]

Bob Chapek is the worst kind of guy to be running a creative/service company like Disney. He's completely focused on "short term" earnings which will make him and the stock holders a lot of money quickly... but it'll be a disastrous "long term" if you annoy all the creative people who make your product and the public who consume your product...

He bought himself a giant mansion while firing 1000's of people during the pandemic, that's the kind of guy he is. He's the type of "corporate raider" Disney had to fend off in the early 1980's, now they've put a guy "selling the company off for spare parts" in charge
...he needs to go

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Bob Chapek is the worst kind of guy to be running a creative/service company like Disney. He's completely focused on "short term" earnings which will make him and the stock holders a lot of money quickly... but it'll be a disastrous "long term" if you annoy all the creative people who make your product and the public who consume your product...

He bought himself a giant mansion while firing 1000's people during the pandemic, that's the kind of guy he is. He's the type of "corporate raider" Disney had to fend off in the early 1980's, now they've put a guy "selling the company off for spare parts" in charge
...he needs to go

You’re not wrong…

and what will happen over the next couple of years is that ardent Disney defenders will begin to understand that they misread the last 20 years…

they Sainted managers that weren’t very good…especially long term decisions for a place such as Disney

 

[lazyboy97o]

As I've said for a while the best option would be for OLC to buy the US parks as they KNOW how to run a Disney park.

Would they run them the same as they do in Japan? There are so many examples of how companies operate differently in different parts of the world.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Would they run them the same as they do in Japan? There are so many examples of how companies operate differently in different parts of the world.

No…they wouldn’t.

olc runs them in Japan partially motivated by pride…it’s their trophy to run great parks.

that was the motivation…but is long gone in the US parks case.

everyone enjoy after hours…look how short that line for Pooh is!!!!

 

[tl77]

I just posted this in a different thread, seems to apply here too...

Disney knows what they sell is popular, which is why they constantly raising the price on it, and are now also cutting corners on the quality of the product, but those kinds things that's not what the company was built on. They were always know as putting out a "top quality" product... here's an example of that

This is Morey's Pier in Wildwood New Jersey. Around the mid to late 70's/early 80's they made "knock off versions" of popular Disney World attractions, like their "Country Bear Jubilee: Continual Stage Show Direct From Orlando Florida" on the right, and the decrepit building in the center left was their "Haunted Mansion". Some people living in the North East enjoyed this stuff and remember it fondly, others of us drove 2 days to Florida to see Disney's superior versions of these attractions.

I'm not sure what Disney offers is still worth the trouble or the price anymore. I don't miss "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" or "Snow White's Scary Adventures" because "those the painted flats with black-lights, dark rides" were exactly like what you'd see at the Jersey Shore... and when they added Dinoland with all is Midway game I hated it because it was exactly like the Jersey Shore... There's a difference between a "luxury resort" and a "tourist trap" ...some of us know the difference.

Disney and their shareholders needs to realize that they the got where they are by tending to the public and the guests, and that arts, and entertainment, and hotels, are all "service industries"

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I just posted this in a different thread, seems to apply here too...

Disney knows what they sell is popular, which is why they constantly raising the price on it, and are now also cutting corners on the quality of the product, but those kinds things that's not what the company was built on. They were always know as putting out a "top quality" product... here's an example of that

This is Morey's Pier in Wildwood New Jersey. Around the mid to late 70's/early 80's they made "knock off versions" of popular Disney World attractions, like their "Country Bear Jubilee: Continual Stage Show Direct From Orlando Florida" on the right, and the decrepit building in the center left was their "Haunted Mansion". Some people living in the North East enjoyed this stuff and remember it fondly, others of us drove 2 days to Florida to see Disney's superior versions of these attractions.

I'm not sure what Disney offers is still worth the trouble or the price anymore. I don't miss "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" or "Snow White's Scary Adventures" because "those the painted flats with black-lights, dark rides" were exactly like what you'd see at the Jersey Shore... and when they added Dinoland with all is Midway game I hated it because it was exactly like the Jersey Shore... There's a difference between a "luxury resort" and a "tourist trap" ...some of us know the difference.

Disney and their shareholders needs to realize that they the got where they are by tending to the public and the guests, and that arts, and entertainment, and hotels, are all "service industries"

I think you’re reading it wrong…the people aren’t different, the Disney corporation is…

they are one of the 3 biggest entertainment behemoths now and that gives them “power” and “insulation” to work with. And sadly…they’re right. People threaten…But don’t follow through. Disney is omnipresent now.

it’s the blue ocean theory. They have control and they can mine it out.

it sucks…it’s not gonna end well.

 

[skypilot2922]

Would they run them the same as they do in Japan? There are so many examples of how companies operate differently in different parts of the world.

That's up to the company management but if they are like Takeda who does the calisthenics/uniforms/sing company song at the beginning of workday possibly yes

 

[skypilot2922]

I think you’re reading it wrong…the people aren’t different, the Disney corporation is…

they are one of the 3 biggest entertainment behemoths now and that gives them “power” and “insulation” to work with. And sadly…they’re right. People threaten…But don’t follow through. Disney is omnipresent now.

it’s the blue ocean theory. They have control and they can mine it out.

it sucks…it’s not gonna end well.

No it's not and it's obvious to anyone who is really looking beyond the shiny objects and little red dot.

 

[skypilot2922]

I just posted this in a different thread, seems to apply here too...

Disney knows what they sell is popular, which is why they constantly raising the price on it, and are now also cutting corners on the quality of the product, but those kinds things that's not what the company was built on. They were always know as putting out a "top quality" product... here's an example of that

This is Morey's Pier in Wildwood New Jersey. Around the mid to late 70's/early 80's they made "knock off versions" of popular Disney World attractions, like their "Country Bear Jubilee: Continual Stage Show Direct From Orlando Florida" on the right, and the decrepit building in the center left was their "Haunted Mansion". Some people living in the North East enjoyed this stuff and remember it fondly, others of us drove 2 days to Florida to see Disney's superior versions of these attractions.

I'm not sure what Disney offers is still worth the trouble or the price anymore. I don't miss "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" or "Snow White's Scary Adventures" because "those the painted flats with black-lights, dark rides" were exactly like what you'd see at the Jersey Shore... and when they added Dinoland with all is Midway game I hated it because it was exactly like the Jersey Shore... There's a difference between a "luxury resort" and a "tourist trap" ...some of us know the difference.

Disney and their shareholders needs to realize that they the got where they are by tending to the public and the guests, and that arts, and entertainment, and hotels, are all "service industries"

And I thought the only thing in Wildwood NJ was the countrys only operational e-LORAN station. (ursaNAV)

 

[el_super]

As I've said for a while the best option would be for OLC to buy the US parks as they KNOW how to run a Disney park.

I've been to Japan. I found their parks decent enough, but I think that the idea that they are operated in some vastly superior way to the US parks has mostly grown to mythological status. I think a lot of people think they are operated as the US parks were int he 1980s, because in a lot of ways their parks still LOOK like the 1980s... and that's not really a good thing.

 

[skypilot2922]

That wouldn't affect show viewership figures, though.

No it would not, but it would inflate the number of subscribers.

 

[el_super]

Due to egregious price increases…not magic bands

How much of the price increases were justified by things like the magic bands? I suppose it's possible people would have kept coming no matter what and you can look at the NextGen as a waste of money, but at that point anything would be a waste of money.

 

[skypilot2922]

I've been to Japan. I found their parks decent enough, but I think that the idea that they are operated in some vastly superior way to the US parks has mostly grown to mythological status. I think a lot of people think they are operated as the US parks were int he 1980s, because in a lot of ways their parks still LOOK like the 1980s... and that's not really a good thing.

The park actually looks just like OLC wants it to and its maintained to perfection, OLC is the ONLY company who are buying a full Frozen land, The 1980's are popular overseas. While in Israel I flew El Al and the interior was from the 80's , English language radio stations played music from the 80's, Same was true in eastern europe. People vastly overestimate how popular hip hop is outside of the US,